This figure shows the development in unit price on a monthly basis of plastic, paper and glass waste from January 2000 to December 2011. The prices are calculated as weighted averages of a number of sub waste fractions for export both within and out of the EU.

Austria, Germany and Belgium recycled the largest proportion of municipal waste in Europe in 2010. Although some countries have rapidly increased recycling rates, Europe is still wasting vast quantities of valuable resources by sending them to landfill, and many countries risk falling short of legally binding recycling targets.